Portugal’s government has approved a substantial $20.84 million investment to upgrade the Jamor High-Performance Center, a key national sports facility, as part of a new, comprehensive National Sports Development Plan.
The funding for the Jamor center, located in Oeiras, stems from the National Sports Development Plan (PNDD), which the Council of Ministers formally approved.
This significant allocation for Jamor is distinct from other ongoing facility upgrades across the country. It also excludes a separate $27 million project aimed at modernizing the adjacent National Stadium.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Margarida Balseiro Lopes, highlighted critical upgrades planned for the center. These include renovations to the swimming pools, improvements to the athletics area, and a major project focusing on athlete accommodation.
The investment of $20.84 million for Jamor is almost double the $10.8 million allocated to other national high-performance centers. This brings the total government commitment for sports facilities to $52.16 million.
The Jamor center, managed by the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth (IPDJ), will benefit various sports, including rugby, swimming, athletics, shooting, archery, and mountain biking. The plan also includes the creation of a new sports medicine center.
Previously, the Jamor facility had been excluded from earlier rehabilitation agreements announced in September and this month. Those agreements focused on eight other high-performance centers across the country, from Anadia to Vila Real de Santo António.
These prior projects were part of a 2024-2028 sports development contract with the Portuguese Olympic Committee (COP) and the Portuguese Paralympic Committee (CPP).
Minister Lopes emphasized that the PNDD represents the first such national plan for Portugal. She noted it reflects a long-standing government priority for sports, building on a previous $70.2 million program.
Beyond infrastructure, the broader PNDD also allocates $31.53 million for continuous sports training for early childhood educators and primary school teachers.
It includes $7.56 million to promote women’s sports. An additional $5.4 million is earmarked for disability inclusion, alongside a similar amount for creating a new Paralympic Innovation and Development Center.
The separate $27 million rehabilitation project for the National Stadium, commonly known as Estádio de Honra, was unveiled in January. It involves covering the central stand and upgrading VIP areas.
Secretary of State for Sport, Pedro Dias, stated that the state would cover 6% of the costs for the stadium’s rehabilitation. The historic venue was inaugurated in 1944.
The stadium’s renovation protocol involves the IPDJ, Oeiras Municipality, the Directorate General of Cultural Heritage, and the national football, athletics, and rugby federations.